The Prince and Princess of Wales have reportedly told Prince George he will be the King of England in the future, according to a royal insider.
Kate Middleton and Prince William - who acquired new titles after the late Queen Elizabeth II passed away and King Charles III became the British monarch - did not intend to tell their eldest child about being in line to the throne to "protect" him, especially as he is still young.
However, a source close to the royal family has claimed the couple have changed their mind, and told George about the major role he will take on when he is older ahead of his 10th birthday, which falls on 22 July.
A source told The Sun: "William and Kate wanted to protect the children as much as possible, particularly from the concept of them being royal and everything that entails.
"In effect, George did not really know he was royal. The Queen and then-Prince Charles were seen through the prism of family – as great-grandmother ‘Gan-Gan’, and grandfather ‘Pa’ – rather than their royal roles.
“At events like Trooping the Colour, George was told that Gan-Gan is a very special lady, very popular and well-loved, and that’s why all the family were with her to clap for her on the balcony.
"[They told him] anything ‘royal’, like the picture of the then-monarch and her three heirs in Buckingham Palace, was done for her.
“They did not tell him until relatively recently that he will, one day, be King.
"It was a delicate balance to protect his childhood and innocence."
However, this conversation was reportedly followed by the mortality conversation too, which is another big wake up call for any child.
The insider continued: "But also it meant explaining to him that his grandfather and father will die one day, which is a very tough concept for any child to grasp.
"It’s also very tricky for what it means for his siblings, Charlotte and Louis."
Though George is second in line to the throne, some believe the royal family could get a major shake up in years to come, as one expert believes William could be the last ruling monarch.
In an interview with The Times last year, author and history writer Hilary Mantel said that she believes Prince George will never take the throne, and that his father, Prince William, will be the last King.
She told the publication that her "back of the envelope" guess would be that after King Charles, William will be crowned monarch - but that the line will end there.
We will continue to update this story.
